As an older person approaches the later stages in life, he can experience a variety of new emotions such as death of a spouse or partner, or becoming physically unable to be self-sufficient. This can lead to a lack of self-confidence and depression. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that two million seniors face severe depression. You can help an elderly person build her self confidence and avoid depression by assisting with daily activities and providing help and companionship.
Step 1
Assist with home care. If your family member or friend is elderly, he may have trouble completing the household tasks that his wife once did or he may be too disabled to complete projects. Assisting him with outdoor work will help him complete projects and still have the self-confidence to remain living independently, explains Medline Plus.
Step 2
Accompany her on her next health care visit. Build her self-confidence by making sure she gets to her health care appointments. This will help her feel more comfortable by having an advocate who will help her remember to ask questions and provide physical assistance in and out of the doctor's office. Remind her to ask the physician about help with depression and pain, which can be an underlying cause of low self-confidence.
Step 3
Provide consistent interaction. This is important because many elderly people are isolated. If you make an effort to call, visit or take out your elderly friend at a certain time each day or week, he will have something to look forward to. The more he interacts with people, the better his self-confidence will be, explains Help Guide, a trusted nonprofit resource for health care issues and life challenges.
Step 4
Encourage a healthy lifestyle. Explain that eating healthy and following a proper diet referred by her physician will help her look and feel better about herself. Offer to prepare meals in advance that are healthy so it is convenient for her to grab a fresh or frozen meal. Promote as much physical activity as possible. Encourage short, assisted walks and social outings. Prevent Disease states that activities like Tai Chi or 20 minutes of walking can prolong life in some elderly patients. If the elderly person is immobile, suggest a drive in the country for a change of scenery. Take her out to get her hair cut and assist her regularly with proper hygiene, if necessary, to promote self-confidence.
Step 5
Reminisce about the past. Take time to ask him questions about his family, career, hobbies or other things that were and still are important to him. Place emphasis on positive things he has accomplished in life and explain how his legacy will live on. She may have taught others how to cook or sew. Ask her questions to help stimulate her mind and her memory. Showing appreciation for things she has done in the past will help boost her self-confidence.
Tips and Warnings
- Physical contact that includes hugging along with verbal recognition and praise can help raise self-esteem. Assist the elderly person with choosing clothes that are comfortable and flattering.
- Watch for signs such as low self-worth and failure to thrive. These could indicate severe depression or another medical condition such as dementia.
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